Darwin Day at EWU...

will kick off with a seminar presented by Dr. Jack Sullivan (University of Idaho) on the "Divergence with gene flow in chipmunks:  An emerging paradigm in speciation" at 2 pm in SCI 137.  Then, the winners of the birthday cake competition will be announced at about 3 pm, and I'll update this post after that time with pics of the most creative cakes.

11:50 am UPDATE:  The 16 cake entries have been examined and ranked by the judges, but I won't reveal the winners until after 3 pm today.  Stay tuned.

3:50 pm UPDATE:  And the winners are...

First place goes to a cake bearing beautifully crafted trilobite fossils:

 And second place goes to these fantastic tortoises:

There were many more wonderful cakes entered this year, and by now, they're probably mostly gone as there was a good crowd milling about with hungry eyes.  Congratulations to everyone involved.

Charles Darwin...

the geologist.

And don't forget to celebrate his 203rd birthday this Friday with the EWU Department of Biology.

Celebrate Charlie Darwin's 203rd birthday...

by baking a cake in his honor!

The EWU Department of Biology is hosting their annual cake competition and any group or individual may participate (hint to geology students).  Deliver your creative cakes that reflect some aspect of Darwin's work to SCI 258 by 11 am on 17 February for judging, with results announced at 3 pm in SCI 243 & 247.  Then we dig in and eat 'em.

RELATED:  Your humble blog correspondent is one of the judges for the event, and he can be easily influenced.  Think chocolate.  And bacon.

UPDATE:  Here's a look back to 2009, 2010 and 2011 if you need some inspiration.

Geological treasures rediscovered...

in an old wooden cabinet in a "gloomy corner" of the British Geological Survey: U.K. scientists find 'lost' Darwin fossils.  And here's the understatement of the day from the executive director: 

"It really makes one wonder what else might be hiding in our collections."

My personal favorite...

in the cake bake-off to celebrate Charles Darwin's birthday is this chocolate iguana. Although it wasn't the winner overall, it stood out among more than 50 entries because it is a.) chocolate and b.) reptilian. Congratulations to all who entered the contest for demonstrating their creativity in this annual event.

In celebration of Charles Darwin's...

202nd birthday (but who’s counting), the biology faculty at EWU are pleased to host noted lecturer, textbook author and evolutionary biologist, Scott Freeman, from the University of Washington. Dr. Freeman will present the Darwin Day seminar,“Why Natural Selection is so Hard”, at 2 pm on Friday February 11, 2011 in JFK Library Auditorium on the Cheney campus. Following the seminar, we will have a reception to award the winners of our Darwin Day cake competition and, more importantly, eat cake!

Bake a cake for Charlie Darwin...

in order to help celebrate his 202nd birthday with the EWU Biology Department.  Their annual birthday cake competition will be held on Friday, 11 February, following the afternoon seminar.  Any group or individual may compete, but the cake must reflect some aspect of Darwin's work.  Prizes will be awarded to student competitors, and your humble blog correspondent will be one of the judges.

RELATED:  Here are some of the winners in 2009 and 2010.

Good point...

Credit: Wall Street Journal.

First place goes to the cake...

entitled "3-D Darwin with Evolution on His Mind" by student BL (click to enlarge). Second place went to students CC and JB and features "Darwin's Coleoptera Collection" as seen below:

Sadly, there were no geology entries this year. Nevertheless, congratulations to all those that took the time to express their creative side and honor a great scientist.

Happy birthday...

to the great naturalist Charles Darwin, his 201st. We'll certainly be celebrating here at EWU.

I'm judging the birthday cake competition and will post a roundup, with some pics of the winners, later today.

It's time to get your bake on...

to celebrate Charlie Darwin's birthday on 12 February (click to enlarge).

Heads up, geo-students! You can compete, too.

And the winner...

among 18 entries to the Darwin birthday cake competition is this creative entry featuring barnacle taxonomy (a major research interest of Darwin's) and a gene pool.

This was my personal favorite, a chocolate tiktaalik, a genus of an extinct lobe-finned fish from the late Devonian Period.

There was representation of the geology program in an entry featuring the Galapagos archipelago with volcanic islands made of cake. Great job, NP and MF! Thanks, sincerely, for being there. San Cristobal Island was particularly yummy.

Additionally, dean Judd Case was a fine stand-in for the man of honor.

Everyone who entered this fun event is getting an environmental science t-shirt.

Science nerds...

party down with Darwin. What a bunch of wild and crazy animals. Whoa.

Elsewhere, here's the range of reaction in Rapid City, South Dakota to the mention of this special day in the local newspaper. Scroll through all the comments.

Hat tip: the Bu bro.

Happy birthday to you...

Charlie Darwin. He was born on this day in 1809 at his family home in Shrewsbury, Shropshire, England, the fifth of six children. This lad eventually grew up to become one of the most influential and revolutionary scientists of all time.

Link to Wikipedia entry, and here's a nice summary of his life. Oh yeah, somebody else named Abraham Lincoln was born today too, and in the same year.

And for goodness sake don't forget the lecture and birthday cake competition events tomorrow sponsored by the Department of Biology.

An alternative view...

of Charles Darwin and his contributions during his anniversary week. Plus recipes using endangered species.

Arriving in the mail...

yesterday was this wonderful statue of Darwin's Ape that I had ordered last week (click to enlarge.) It's cast out of faux bronze with a resin human skull and it has nice detailing. Just in time for Charlie's birthday.

I like it so much I ordered the hear/see/speak no evil monkeys statue to go with it. Really.

Stoopid is...

as stupid does. No serious celebration of Darwin's contributions to science would be complete without an amusing detour to the Darwin Awards web site where they "honor those who improve the species...by accidentally removing themselves from it!"

Natural selection in real time. Have a laugh, at someone else's unfortunate expense.

Evolution Matters!

You bet it does!
The Department of Biology is sponsoring a lecture in honor of Charles Darwin's 200th birthday anniversary. The lecture, by Dr. Carol Anelli (WSU,) will occur this Friday, 13 February, at 2 pm in SCI 137 and is entitled: Evolution Matters! Historical and Current Contexts in Darwin's Dual Anniversary Year.

Following the lecture there will be a birthday cake competition (link to previous post) where prizes will be awarded for creativity, execution and taste. Cakes must reflect some aspect of Darwin's work.

Mmm. Cake.

Wise words...

When I view all beings not as special creations, but as the lineal descendants of some few beings which lived long before the first bed of the Cambrian system was deposited, they seem to me to become ennobled.

— Charles Darwin

One week until...

the 200th anniversary of Charles Darwin's birthday. We're taking it very seriously in the sciences. To wit:

Darwin Day Celebration

When: Friday, February 13 @ 3pm (directly
following the biology seminar at 2pm)
Where: Science Room 175
What: Darwin’s Birthday Cake Competition

In honor of Charles Darwin’s 200^th birthday the Biology Department will be holding a cake competition.

Any group or individual may compete. Cakes must reflect some aspect of Darwin’s work. Prizes will be awarded for creativity, execution, and taste!

(Cakes can be delivered to the biology department office for safekeeping)

Hope to see you there!

I am flattered to have been invited to serve as a judge for this celebratory event. That means I'll have to taste each cake. I have it on good authority that Mr. Darwin himself may make an appearance. I sincerely hope that the geology students consider making an entry in this fun contest. Do us proud.

Did I mention that there will be cake? Homer Simpson, eat your heart out.